The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

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Monday, December 28, 2015

Vatican
City, 27 December 2015 (VIS) – At 10:00 this morning, on the Feast
of the Holy Family, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s
Basilica. During the celebration, attended by Roman and pilgrim
families for the Jubilee of Family, he gave the following homily:

''The
biblical readings which we just heard presented us with the image of
two families on pilgrimage to the house of God. Elkanah and Hannah
bring their son Samuel to the Temple of Shiloh and consecrate him to
the Lord. In the same way, Joseph and Mary, in the company of Jesus,
go as pilgrims to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover.''

''We
often see pilgrims journeying to shrines and places dear to popular
piety. These days, many of them are making their way to the Holy Door
opened in all the cathedrals of the world and in many shrines. But
the most beautiful thing which emerges from the word of God today is
that the whole family goes on pilgrimage. Fathers, mothers and
children together go to the house of the Lord, in order to sanctify
the holy day with prayer. It is an important teaching, which is meant
for our own families as well. Indeed, we could say that family life
is a series of pilgrimages, both small and big.''

''For
example, how comforting it is for us to reflect on Mary and Joseph
teaching Jesus how to pray! This is a sort of pilgrimage, the
pilgrimage of education in prayer. And it is comforting also to know
that throughout the day they would pray together, and then go each
Sabbath to the synagogue to listen to readings from the Law and the
Prophets, and to praise the Lord with the assembly. Certainly, during
their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, they prayed by singing the Psalm: ‘I
was glad when they said to me, ''Let us go to the house of the
Lord!'' Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem’.''

''How
important it is for our families to journey together towards a single
goal! We know that we have a road to travel together; a road along
which we encounter difficulties but also enjoy moments of joy and
consolation. And on this pilgrimage of life we also share in moments
of prayer. What can be more beautiful than for a father and mother to
bless their children at the beginning and end of each day, to trace
on their forehead the sign of the cross, as they did on the day of
their baptism? Is this not the simplest prayer which parents can
offer for their children? To bless them, that is, to entrust them to
the Lord, just like Elkanah and Anna, Joseph and Mary, so that he can
be their protection and support throughout the day. In the same way,
it is important for families to join in a brief prayer before meals,
in order to thank the Lord for these gifts and to learn how to share
what we have received with those in greater need. These are all
little gestures, yet they point to the great formative role played by
the family in the pilgrimage of everyday life.''

''At
the end of that pilgrimage, Jesus returned to Nazareth and was
obedient to his parents. This image also contains a beautiful
teaching about our families. A pilgrimage does not end when we arrive
at our destination, but when we return home and resume our everyday
lives, putting into practice the spiritual fruits of our experience.
We know what Jesus did on that occasion. Instead of returning home
with his family, he stayed in Jerusalem, in the Temple, causing great
distress to Mary and Joseph who were unable to find him. For this
little ‘escapade’, Jesus probably had to beg forgiveness of his
parents. The Gospel doesn’t say this, but I believe that we can
presume it. Mary’s question, moreover, contains a certain reproach,
revealing the concern and anguish which she and Joseph felt.
Returning home, Jesus surely remained close to them, as a sign of his
complete affection and obedience. Moments like these become part of
the pilgrimage of each family; the Lord transforms the moments into
opportunities to grow, to ask for and to receive forgiveness, to show
love and obedience.''

''In
the Year of Mercy, every Christian family can become a privileged
place on this pilgrimage for experiencing the joy of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is the essence of the love which can understand mistakes
and mend them. How miserable we would be if God did not forgive us!
Within the family we learn how to forgive, because we are certain
that we are understood and supported, whatever the mistakes we
make.''

''Let
us not lose confidence in the family! It is beautiful when we can
always open our hearts to one another, and hide nothing. Where there
is love, there is also understanding and forgiveness. To all of you,
dear families, I entrust this most important mission – the domestic
pilgrimage of daily family life – which the world and the Church
need, now more than ever.''

Vatican
City, 27 December 2015 (VIS) – After celebrating the Mass for the
Feast of the Holy Family, the Holy Father appeared at the window of
his study in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with the
faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. Before the Marian prayer,
the Pope recalled this past September''s meeting with families in
Philadelphia, USA as well as all the families he has met during his
apostolic trips and all the families around the world with these
words:

''I
would like to greet you all with affection and gratitude, especially
at this present time when the family is subjected to various kinds of
misunderstandings and difficulties that weaken it. Today's Gospel,''
he continued, ''invites families to capture the light of hope coming
from the house of Nazareth where Jesus grew up in joyfulness.''

''The
family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph is, for every believer and
especially for families, a true school of the Gospel. Here we admire
the fulfillment of God's plan to make the family a special community
of life and love. Here we learn that every Christian family is called
to be a ‘domestic church'', to make the light of the Gospel virtues
shine forth and to become leaven for the good in society. The typical
characteristics of the Holy Family are meditation and prayer, mutual
understanding and respect, a spirit of sacrifice, labor, and
solidarity.''

''Each
family can draw valuable guidance for lifestyles and life choices and
can draw strength and wisdom for the everyday journey from the
example and witness of the Holy Family. Our Lady and St. Joseph teach
us how to welcome children as a gift from God, to generate and
educate them by cooperating in a wonderful way with the Creator's
work; giving the world a new smile with every child. It is in the
united family that children bring their existence to maturity, living
a meaningful and effective experience of gratuitous love, of
tenderness, of reciprocal respect, of mutual understanding, of
forgiveness, and of joy.''

''The
true joy experienced in the family is not something casual or
accidental. It is a joy born of the profound harmony among persons,
which gives us a taste of the beauty of being together, of supporting
one another along the journey of life. But at the heart of that joy
is always God's presence, his welcoming, merciful, and patient love
toward all. If the doors of the family are not opened to the presence
of God and his love, the family loses its harmony, selfishness
prevails, and joy is extinguished. Instead, the family that lives the
joy of life, the joy of faith, spontaneously communicating it, is the
salt of the earth and light of the world. It is the leaven for all of
society.''

Vatican
City, 27 December 2015 (VIS) – After praying the Angelus, Pope
Francis spoke on behalf of the ''numerous Cuban migrants who are in
difficulty in Central America,'' many of whom are victims of human
trafficking. He called on the countries in the region to generously
renew the necessary efforts to finding a timely solution to this
humanitarian tragedy.

At
the same time, the pontiff also greeted the families and the pilgrims
from around the world present in the square, thanking them for their
witness. He thanked everyone for their well wishes and prayers.

Vatican
City, 27 December 2015 (VIS) – Pope Francis, through a telegram
sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, addressed the
participants in the 38th European Meeting of Young Adults organized
by the Taize Community, which will take place from Monday, 28
December 2015 until 1 January 2016, in Valencia, Spain.

The
Holy Father encouraged the more than 30,000 expected participants to
''have the courage of mercy, which will guide you not only to receive
it in your lives but also to be close to those who are in distress.
You know that the Church is here for all of humanity and where there
are Christians everyone should find an oasis of mercy. This,'' he
emphasized, ''particularly applies to the many migrants in such need
of your welcome.'' The Pope also expressed his hope that ''during
these beautiful days … you might better discover Christ, ‘the
face of the Father’s mercy'', and he sent them his blessing.

Vatican
City, 27 December 2015 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro
Parolin sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of the Pope Francis
to Msgr. Giuseppe Pinto, apostolic nuncio in Manila, following the
attacks on the island of Mindanao, in the south of the country.

''The
Holy Father was deeply saddened to learn of the senseless killing of
innocent people in Mindanao, and he sends condolences to the families
of those who lost their lives. His Holiness prays that security and
safety will be established for all people in the region, so that
dialogue, tolerance and peace may enable each person to live free
from fear. He asks all believers to reject violence in the name of
God who is love, and invokes abundant divine gifts of consolation,
mercy and strength upon those affected by this tragedy.''

Vatican
City, 27 December 2015 (VIS) – Pope Francis, through Cardinal
Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, has sent the following telegram of
condolences to Msgr. Augustine Kasuja, apostolic nuncio in Abuya,
following the tragic accident that occurred in the Nigerian city of
Nnewi when a truck exploded in a gas plant.

''The
Holy Father was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic explosion at a
gas plant in Nnewi, in which so many people died or were seriously
injured. He sends heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the
deceased and injured, to the authorities and to the entire Nation.
His Holiness, commending the souls of the departed to the tender
mercy of God, invokes the abundant divine gifts of consolation and
strength upon those who mourn and upon all who have been affected by
this tragedy.''

Vatican
City, 25 December 2015 (VIS) – ''Today we celebrate the Feast of
St. Stephen,'' said the Pope today at noon from the window of his
study in the Apostolic Palace, when he prayed the Angelus with the
faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square. ''This memorial of the
first martyr follows immediately after the Solemnity of Christmas.
Yesterday we contemplated the merciful love of God who became man for
us. Today we see the consistent response of Jesus’ disciple who
gives his life. Yesterday, the Savior was born on earth; now his
faithful witness is born in heaven. Yesterday as today, the darkness
of the denial of life looms, but the light of love that overcomes
hatred and inaugurates a new world shines still stronger.''

''There
is a particular aspect in today’s story from the Acts of the
Apostles that ties St. Stephen to the Lord. It is the forgiveness he
offered before he died from being stoned. Nailed to the cross, Jesus
said: ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do’.
Likewise, Stephen ‘bent his knees and cried out: ''Lord, do not
charge them with this sin''.’ Stephen, therefore, is a martyr,
which means witness because he does as Jesus does. In fact, the true
witnesses are those who act as does Jesus: those who pray, those who
love, those who give, but above all, those who forgive because
forgiveness, as the word implies, is the greatest expression of
giving.''

''But
– we might ask – what is the use of forgiving?'' the pontiff
continued. ''Is it just a good deed or does it bring results? We find
the answer precisely in Stephen’s martyrdom. Among those for whom
he begged forgiveness was a young man named Saul who persecuted the
Church and tried to destroy it. Shortly thereafter, Saul became Paul,
the great saint, the Apostle to the Gentiles. He had received
Stephen’s forgiveness. We can say that Paul was born of God’s
grace and Stephen’s forgiveness.''

''We
also are born of God’s forgiveness. Not only in Baptism but every
time we are forgiven our hearts are reborn, are remade. From the
beginning, every step forward in the life of faith is impressed with
the seal of divine mercy. Because only when we are loved can we in
turn love. It does us good to remind ourselves of this: if we want to
move forward in faith, we must first of all receive God’s
forgiveness. We must meet the Father who is always ready to forgive
everything and who, in forgiving us, heals our hearts and reignites
our love. We must never tire of asking God’s forgiveness,'' Pope
Francis emphasized, ''because it is only when we are forgiven, when
we feel ourselves pardoned, that we can learn to forgive.''

The
Holy Father acknowledged that forgiving ''is not easy. It is always
very difficult.'' He explained that, in order to imitate Christ and
forgive the great and small offenses that we suffer every day, we
have to start with prayer like St. Stephen. ''It starts from our
hearts. We can deal with the resentment we feel through prayer,
entrusting those who have done us wrong to God’s mercy. … Then we
discover that this inner struggle to forgive purifies us from evil
and that prayer and love set us free from the inner chains of rancor.
… Through forgiveness we overcome evil with good, we turn hatred
into love, and thus make the world cleaner.''

Before
finishing, Pope Francis entrusted to the Virgen Mary all those who,
''like St. Stephen, suffer persecution in the name of the faith, our
many martyrs today. Help direct our prayers to receive and to offer
forgiveness.''

Vatican
City, 25 December 2015 (VIS) – At noon today, the Solemnity of the
Birth of the Lord, the Pope gave the traditional Christmas message
from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. On finishing the
address, which is given in its entirety below, he imparted the Urbi
et Orbi blessing ''to the city [of Rome] and to the world''.

''Dear
brothers and sisters, Happy Christmas!

Christ
is born for us, let us rejoice in the day of our salvation!''

''Let
us open our hearts to receive the grace of this day, which is Christ
himself. Jesus is the radiant ‘day’ which has dawned on the
horizon of humanity. A day of mercy, in which God our Father has
revealed his great tenderness to the entire world. A day of light,
which dispels the darkness of fear and anxiety. A day of peace, which
makes for encounter, dialogue and, above all, reconciliation. A day
of joy: a ‘great joy’ for the poor, the lowly and for all the
people.''

''On
this day, Jesus, the Savior is born of the Virgin Mary. The Crib
makes us see the ‘sign’ which God has given us: ‘a baby wrapped
in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger’. Like the shepherds of
Bethlehem, may we too set out to see this sign, this event which is
renewed yearly in the Church. Christmas is an event which is renewed
in every family, parish and community which receives the love of God
made incarnate in Jesus Christ. Like Mary, the Church shows to
everyone the ‘sign’ of God: the Child whom she bore in her womb
and to whom she gave birth, yet who is the Son of the Most High,
since he ‘is of the Holy Spirit’. He is truly the Savior, for he
is the Lamb of God who takes upon himself the sin of the world. With
the shepherds, let us bow down before the Lamb, let us worship God’s
goodness made flesh, and let us allow tears of repentance to fill our
eyes and cleanse our hearts. This is something we all need!''

''He
alone, he alone can save us. Only God’s mercy can free humanity
from the many forms of evil, at times monstrous evil, which
selfishness spawns in our midst. The grace of God can convert hearts
and offer mankind a way out of humanly insoluble situations.''

''Where
God is born, hope is born. He brings hope. Where God is born, peace
is born. And where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred
and for war. Yet precisely where the incarnate Son of God came into
the world, tensions and violence persist, and peace remains a gift to
be implored and built. May Israelis and Palestinians resume direct
dialogue and reach an agreement which will enable the two peoples to
live together in harmony, ending a conflict which has long set them
at odds with grave repercussions for the entire region.''

''We
pray to the Lord that the agreement reached in the United Nations may
succeed in halting as quickly as possible the clash of arms in Syria
and in remedying the extremely grave humanitarian situation of its
suffering people. It is likewise urgent that the agreement on Libya
be supported by all, so as to overcome the grave divisions and
violence afflicting the country. May the attention of the
international community be unanimously directed to ending the
atrocities which in those countries, as well as in Iraq, Libya, Yemen
and sub-Saharan Africa, even now reap numerous victims, cause immense
suffering and do not even spare the historical and cultural patrimony
of entire peoples. My thoughts also turn to those affected by brutal
acts of terrorism, particularly the recent massacres which took place
in Egyptian airspace, in Beirut, Paris, Bamako and Tunis.''

''To
our brothers and sisters who in many parts of the world are being
persecuted for their faith, may the Child Jesus grant consolation and
strength. They are our martyrs of today.''

''We
also pray for peace and concord among the peoples of the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Burundi and South Sudan, that dialogue may lead to
a strengthened common commitment to the building of civil societies
animated by a sincere spirit of reconciliation and of mutual
understanding.''

''May
Christmas also bring true peace to Ukraine, offer comfort to those
suffering from the effects of the conflict, and inspire willingess to
carry out the agreements made to restore concord in the entire
country.''

''May
the joy of this day illumine the efforts of the Colombian people so
that, inspired by hope, they may continue their commitment to working
for the desired peace.''

''Where
God is born, hope is born; and where hope is born, persons regain
their dignity. Yet even today great numbers of men and woman are
deprived of their human dignity and, like the child Jesus, suffer
cold, poverty, and rejection. May our closeness today be felt by
those who are most vulnerable, especially child soldiers, women who
suffer violence, and the victims of human trafficking and the drug
trade.''

''Nor
may our encouragement be lacking to all those fleeing extreme poverty
or war, travelling all too often in inhumane conditions and not
infrequently at the risk of their lives. May God repay all those,
both individuals and states, who generously work to provide
assistance and welcome to the numerous migrants and refugees, helping
them to build a dignified future for themselves and for their dear
ones, and to be integrated in the societies which receive them.''

''On
this festal day may the Lord grant renewed hope to all those who lack
employment – and they are so many! May he sustain the commitment of
those with public responsibilities in political and economic life,
that they may work to pursue the common good and to protect the
dignity of every human life.''

''Where
God is born, mercy flourishes. Mercy is the most precious gift which
God gives us, especially during this Jubilee year in which we are
called to discover that tender love of our heavenly Father for each
of us. May the Lord enable prisoners in particular to experience his
merciful love, which heals wounds and triumphs over evil.''

''Today,
then, let us together rejoice in the day of our salvation. As we
contemplate the Crib, let us gaze on the open arms of Jesus, which
show us the merciful embrace of God, as we hear the cries of the
Child who whispers to us: ‘for my brethren and companions’ sake,
I will say: Peace be within you’.''

Vatican
City, 24 December 2015 (VIS) – This evening, beginning at 9:30pm,
Pope Francis presided over Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's
Basilica. During the course of the celebration he gave this homily:

''Tonight
'a great light' shines forth; the light of Jesus' birth shines all
about us. How true and timely are the words of the prophet Isaiah
which we have just heard: ''You have brought abundant joy and great
rejoicing'! Our heart was already joyful in awaiting this moment; now
that joy abounds and overflows, for the promise has been at last
fulfilled. Joy and gladness are a sure sign that the message
contained in the mystery of this night is truly from God. There is no
room for doubt; let us leave that to the skeptics who, by looking to
reason alone, never find the truth. There is no room for the
indifference which reigns in the hearts of those unable to love for
fear of losing something. All sadness has been banished, for the
Child Jesus brings true comfort to every heart.''

''Today,
the Son of God is born, and everything changes. The Savior of the
world comes to partake of our human nature; no longer are we alone
and forsaken. The Virgin offers us her Son as the beginning of a new
life. The true light has come to illumine our lives so often beset by
the darkness of sin. Today we once more discover who we are! Tonight
we have been shown the way to reach the journey's end. Now must we
put away all fear and dread, for the light shows us the path to
Bethlehem. We must not be laggards; we are not permitted to stand
idle. We must set out to see our Savior lying in a manger. This is
the reason for our joy and gladness: this Child has been ''born to
us'; he was ''given to us', as Isaiah proclaims. The people who for
two thousand years have traversed all the pathways of the world in
order to allow every man and woman to share in this joy are now given
the mission of making known ''the Prince of Peace' and becoming his
effective servant in the midst of the nations.''

''So
when we hear tell of the birth of Christ, let us be silent and let
the Child speak. Let us take his words to heart in rapt contemplation
of his face. If we take him in our arms and let ourselves be embraced
by him, he will bring us unending peace of heart. This Child teaches
us what is truly essential in our lives. He was born into the poverty
of this world; there was no room in the inn for him and his family.
He found shelter and support in a stable and was laid in a manger for
animals. And yet, from this nothingness, the light of God's glory
shines forth. From now on, the way of authentic liberation and
perennial redemption is open to every man and woman who is simple of
heart. This Child, whose face radiates the goodness, mercy and love
of God the Father, trains us, his disciples, as Saint Paul says, ''to
reject godless ways' and the richness of the world, in order to live
''temperately, justly and devoutly'.''

''In
a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth
and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this Child calls us to
act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced,
consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential. In a world
which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the
sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and
to do God's will. Amid a culture of indifference which not
infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be
devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy, drawn daily from
the wellspring of prayer.''

''Like
the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too, with eyes full of amazement
and wonder, gaze upon the Child Jesus, the Son of God. And in his
presence may our hearts burst forth in prayer: ''Show us, Lord, your
mercy, and grant us your salvation'.''

Vatican
City, 28 December 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father appointed
Msgr. Brian McGee as Bishop of Argyll and the Isles (area 31,080,
population 77,400, Catholics 10,179, priests 25, permanent deacons 1,
religious 32), Scotland. Bishop-elect McGee was born in Greenock, in
the Diocese of Paisley, in 1965 and was ordained a priest of the
clergy of Paisely in 1989. He has served as a pastor as well as the
Scots College’s spiritual director. He was diocesan director of the
RCIA program as well as Episcopal Vicar for marriage and the family.
Since 2014 he has served as Paisley’s vicar general.

On
Thursday, 24 December, the Holy Father appointed Msgr. Wojciech
Tomasz Osial as auxiliary bishop of Lowicz (area 5,806, population
609,479, Catholics 607,825, priests 166, religious 390), Poland.
Bishop-elect Osial was born in Lowicz in 1970 and was ordained a
priest in 1995. He holds a doctorate in catechetics from Rome’s
Pontifical Salesian University and has been serving as Lowicz’s
diocesan director for catechism and curial notary. He is also a
professor in the seminaries of Lowicz and Oltarzew as well as the
Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw. He has been a canon
of the cathedral chapter since 2014.